Thinking Past Trump: The Dangers of Democrats Returning To Normal

President Obama was a competent President, in a neo-liberal way. His administration nursed the economy back to ‘health’ after the 2008 meltdown. The Affordable Care Act, as problematic as it was, did get healthcare to people that were unable to get covered. I personally know people getting healthcare now who would have never gotten treated if not for The ACA. Obama as President was a magnetic personality, intellectually astute, and a calming influence in the face of rabid right-wing hate.

His two terms were also a tragic wasted opportunity.

Obama’s administration was great for Wall Street and Corporate Capitalists. It was a mirage for we the people. The monied establishment status quo did quite well. In 2016, the Democrats, oblivious to the economic insecurity of working America, ran an unlikable candidate that promised more of the same. Like everything was fine. When she faced a serious challenge from Progressive Bernie Sanders, who spoke to the economic anxieties of the working class American. Democrats gamed the system against Sanders and his supporters. Held a convention, a pageant of the clueless, and marginalized fourteen million Sanders supporters. That is the fracture, a schism, Democrats themselves made, an opening Donald Trump used to slip into the Whitehouse. Not because Sanders supporters voted for Trump (a huge Democrat lie), but because Sanders supporters stayed home, voted third party, or wrote Senator Sanders in.

it is no coincidence that states won by Sanders in the primaries, notably Michigan, Wisconsin, and Indiana, were won by Trump by a razor thin margin.

Given all of the above. If there was ever a time for Democrats to redirect their political focus, restructure their message, and regain the trust and support of the people, it is after they lost the most winnable election ever. They were beaten by the most unqualified, deplorable, disliked person, to ever run for President.

But the Democrats have hardly changed a thing.

They have spent the last twenty months scapegoating the Progressive left, Russian interference, The Green party, and ‘Bernie Bros’. Democrats have refused to look in the mirror. They have a stunning lack of self-awareness, they’re being obtuse about the will of the people. Democrats pay lip service to Progressive causes. But the mid-term candidates they’re supporting are just as tepid, disconnected, and corporate friendly.

This brings us to the ‘normal’ the Democrats hope we the people ignore...